Stars
by TMBrown
Summary: Nick and Judy write e-mails back and forth as Nick struggles to adapt to the world of being a ZPD Academy trainee, and Judy tries to tackle her next case with a temporary unhelpful partner.
1. Chapter 1

_[Author note: does not like the e-mail symbol, so I've written out the e-mails in the first letter and then abbreviated them to usernames thereafter. Sorry!]_

From: fox .gov

To: jhopps

Subject: So I got here

Hey, Carrots, check out the e-mail address they gave me. Still think this was a good idea?

-fox, apparently

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From: jhopps

To: fox

Subject: Re: So I got here

Dear Nick,

I thought they'd treat you better. :( Let me make some calls.

Love,

Judy

P.S. I'm really proud of you!

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From: fox

To: jhopps

Subject: Re: So I got here

Oh, Carrots, I thought I'd rubbed off on you at least a little. Your letters read like they're out of the public school style textbook. Love? I think you're jumping a little ahead. You should know I'm not ready to meet your parents, and they sure as heck aren't ready to meet me unless I throw on an apron and a drawl and roll around in flour.

Don't make any calls for me. I'll handle this myself.

But thanks.

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From: jhopps

To: nwilde

Subject: Too late

Dear Nick,

I figured by 'handle it' you meant you'd leave the address that way and stare at it resenting everyone for reducing you to your species so I went ahead and called Sergeant Bearester and she changed it. Now you can focus on becoming a better officer and not on resenting everyone.

Speaking of Bearester, Chief Bogo assigned me a temporary partner. Don't be jealous. He's a brown bear named Paddington and he's really sweet. Just a really nice guy. Some of the guys really love him.

Yeah, that's right. Friends can love other friends and it's not weird.

Love,

Judy

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From: nwilde

To: jhopps

Subject: Re: Too late

Okay, Carrots, you got me. I guess I should start thinking like you, about what's best and not what's most fun. Or, what did you say, "be smarter, not a martyr"? And I have to admit, it's a lot nicer looking at my name when I log in. Thanks.

I was also worried that Bearester would take it out on me, you know, "so, Wilde, you gotta have your friends take care of you? What if your friends are DEAD? WHO'S GOING TO LOOK OUT FOR YOU THEN? YOU GOTTA LOOK OUT FOR YOU." But she's been—I hate to say it—pretty cool about it. As in, didn't mention it. As in, remembered that I beat everyone else in the hundred yard run in the morning. Of course, that afternoon when we were lifting weights they had to go out to the Midsize Fitness to get something I could even lift (and meanwhile they used *me* as the weight for Wolferson, which wasn't humiliating at all but DON'T call anyone about it, I'll handle it and I mean it this time). What did they do for you?

Paddington sounds like a great guy. Dumb as a brick, but I bet he holds doors for you and gets you coffee. So you've got that going for you. Next time I'll tell you about all the top scholars I'm rooming with.

Nick

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From: jhopps

To: nwilde

Subject: Re: Too late

Dear Nick,

OM goodness I busted out laughing at my desk when I read your Bearester impression. I can hear you doing it and it's perfect. And yeah, she's all about performance. If you can do the work, she's on your side. For my weights, she had me lifting two of her rings. Class rings. About ten pounds each. Using you as a weight is definitely not okay but…I'll let you take care of it. Just don't—no, I'll let you take care of it.

Paddington is not dumb as a brick. He's sweet, but that doesn't mean he's not…I mean, he is smart in his own way. We got an assignment to track down missing bolts of expensive fabric from a warehouse in Savanna Square. Paddington was the one who thought we should sniff around the warehouse at night to see if we catch any scents or maybe see the thief.

So I'm at my desk in full gear even though everyone else is home. Paddington is…resting up for the night.

Tell me about your class. I never really got to know most of mine. First they didn't take me seriously, then they didn't like that I was beating them. I guess Hornton was okay but she got assigned to a desk in the Savanna district. She did call to congratulate me after our case, though.

I think I hear Paddington moving. Got to go.

Love, Judy


	2. Chapter 2

From: nwilde

To: jhopps

Subject: Ow

This might be a long letter, Carrots. I'm not ashamed to say that Bearester lets me use the computer longer if I tell her I'm writing to you, and after today I just want to sit down forever. Remember I told you about winning the hundred? Turns out that when you haven't run that long that fast for a while and then you do it three times in a day plus the first day of brutal calisthenics, your legs are sorer than an elephant in an elevator with a family of porcupines. The good news is most of the others are just as bad off. So while I'm here and resting, and writing to my good friend Officer Judy Hopps, he said aloud, let's go through the class.

I'll start by telling you the one thing they have in common and no, it's not a deep and abiding thirst to see justice brought to the scoundrels of Zootopia. It's that they are all right around your age, which means that I have a decade of life experience on them but also a decade more wear on the paws. That said, I spent most of my life on my feet, which isn't true of any of the others except maybe Wolferson and Fangovin, so let's start with them.

Wolferson: She's a wolf so scrawny she might be a stretched-out ugly fox. Scratches herself all the time even though we all have to shower daily. Seems unable to stand still. Why she wants to be a cop: "My mommy was a cop."

Fangovin: Big tiger, like someone painted stripes on an orange elephant almost. Seriously, he's a brick. North of Zootopia, the small town of Claw's Hollow is missing its champion school bully. He swaggered into the academy telling everyone he was going to be the top graduate and stared down Tusker and Ironhide. Didn't even take notice of me. Why he wants to be a cop: "To beat up bad guys." If you ask me, he wouldn't be too particular about them being bad, either.

Tusker: Biggest in our class, she's also the quietest. Don't know much about her but she runs pretty well for an elephant. Why she wants to be a cop: that deep and abiding thirst etcetera.

Ironhide: There are three, count 'em, three rhinos. Ironhide is the biggest. He can't run for crap but he can lift a ton. Of course, they didn't make him lift Tusker. They made him lift a car. And he did it. He and Fang might kill each other before we graduate. Why he wants to be a cop: "To uphold the law." Yawn.

Stone: She's got a complex about the other rhinos, I think. Keeps tagging along behind 'em trying to keep up. Smarter than either of them, though. At least, she's the only one who didn't need help spelling her name. Why she wants to be a cop: "To make a difference." B-plus answer.

Hornton: Might be a cousin of your Hornton. You could ask. Anyway, he and Ironhide know each other. Maybe from the same village or the same family; I don't know how rhinos work. Anyway, he's actually the only one who's been nice to me at all. Took me aside and said he saw us on TV and admired what we did. I told him it was a team effort and he asked if I could get your autograph. I tell you, Carrots… Oh. Why he wants to be a cop: "To catch crooks."

Shaggy: Can't remember his name. Big Cape Buffalo, not as big as Bogo but definitely idolizes him. Why he wants to be a cop: "To dispense justice like Chief Bogo."

So anyway I'm in your old bunk. They didn't tell me but it still smelled like rabbit even though they washed the sheets. Also like three different wolves. It's okay, don't worry about me getting to sleep; a couple good rolls and now it smells like fox. Not that they have a wolf or fox working here who can detect smells; that's obvious when you walk into the cafeteria. But yeah, the small bed all the way at the end with enough room to sleep on widthwise if you wanted, top bunk over Wolferson because I dunno, predators together? They put Fang across from us and didn't give him a bunkmate.

How long before you stopped being sore in the morning?

Nick

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From: jhopps

To: nwilde

Subject: Re: Ow

Dear Nick,

What are you talking about? I'm in great shape. I was never sore.

What did you say when they asked why you want to be a cop?

Love,

Judy

Sent from my phone

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From: nwilde

To: jhopps

Subject: Re: Ow

Even on your phone you type out the Dear and Love. Impressive. If you were never sore then you're in better shape than everyone except Ironside and Fang, though they might just be hiding it.

If you're reading this while staking out the fabric store heist, don't go to the Round The Clock diner. They've got a filthy kitchen and their pies are substandard, especially for a Bunnyburrow native. Make dear sweet Paddington walk down Greenfield to Lacy's Pie Shack, also open 24/7, and if Lacy the gazelle is there, tell her Nick sent you. She'll put extra ice cream on your apple pie.

Nick

Sent from my phone

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From: jhopps

To: nwilde

Subject: Re: Ow

How do you know where we are?

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From: nwilde

To: jhopps

Subject: Re: Ow

A-ha! I got you to drop the formalities.

The same way I know that Paddington is probably picking his nose as you're reading this: it's simply more likely than any of the other possibilities.

Nick

Sent from my phone

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From: jhopps

To: nwilde

Subject: Re: Ow

Nick, if you know something about this crime, you should tell me.

And Paddington is not picking his nose. Anymore.

Judy

Sent from my phone

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From: nwilde

To: jhopps

Subject: Re: Ow

Carrots, are you saying you need me?

Sent from my phone


	3. Chapter 3

Chat initiated 0122 am

J: Seriously, Nick. What's going on?

N: I'm supposed to be asleep. You're making me break academy rules. On my third day, no less.

J: Nick

N: All right. Luxury fabrics in Savanna Square is one of three places, but I don't know anyone who

J: Who what?

J: Nick?

N: Sorry, Tusker was moving around in her bed. I thought it was an earthquake for a minute.

N: I don't know anyone who would dare steal from Silas Shadow. So it was either Kiko Prong or Buddy Goldmane. Like I said, I picked the more likely one.

J: So you do know something.

N: Educated guess. But if I'm right you won't catch the thief at night or even at Goldmane's at all.

J: What?

N: Tell you tomorrow. Too long to type into my phone.

J: Tell me now!

N: I promise the e-mail will be waiting when you get back to the station.

J: Nick.

N: Trust me, Carrots.

J: Okay. Okay. Why didn't you tell me before?

N: What, and spoil Paddington's big idea?

J: …

N: It won't hurt to wait a day. If I'm right.

N: (spoiler: I'm right)

J: All right. Thanks. Get your sleep.

N: Hey, Carrots?

J: What?

N: Miss ya.

Chat ended 0143 am

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From: nwilde

To: jhopps

Subject: Educated guess

Okay, so in my experience, Buddy Goldmane is never opposed to making a little bit extra on the side. I'd bet blueberries to carrots he's stealing his own merchandise and reporting it so he can collect the insurance on stolen property. I say this because I heard of him doing it about three years ago. I think at the time he had some gambling debt. Check into whether he's been betting on sports again or maybe something else happened, like his mistress wants a new apartment. I'm not saying that this is how he's doing it, but if *I* wanted to steal fabric from my own store, the way *I* would do it is to have a friend of mine buy a bunch of fabric and then just roll the stolen fabric in with it.

The problem you're going to have is that if that's how he's doing it, it'll be hard to catch him doing it again. If you catch the friend with the extra fabric, Buddy will claim it was a mistake; if you catch the friend selling it, well, he bought it, right? And if you catch him giving money back to Buddy, he could claim to be repaying a personal debt. Besides which, I'm not sure Buddy will risk pulling that again, since he knows you're investigating now.

So I hear you asking, "Dear Nick, then how do I solve the case? Love, Judy." Well, since you asked so nicely, what I would do were I an officer of the law instead of a mere trainee (that still feels weird—I trust your confidence that it'll seem more natural soon) is look for the sale of the fabric that's already reported stolen, which is most likely to go down at Deepwater Docks but could also be in Palm Alley or maybe in Cedar Street if they go all the way to Tundratown. If Buddy's smart, he won't have reported the theft until after the sale, so you probably won't catch the sale happening, but if the fabric is exotic enough, you might be able to sniff around and find the person who bought it, and ask them who they got it from. Start with Annie Scruff. She's a coyote who probably won't talk to you unless you tell her I said she should. If she doesn't know who bought it, she can put you on the trail.

And do tell Paddington that I thought his idea was *very* good, too.

Nick

P.S. I am less sore today. I may actually survive this if Wolferson doesn't drive me crazy. Off to breakfast now.

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From: jhopps

To: nwilde

Subject: Re: Educated Guess

O.O

What's Wolferson doing?

Sent from my phone

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From: nwilde

To: jhopps

Subject: Re: Educated Guess

So gratifying to surprise you, but remember, I lived on the streets for twenty years. I know everyone.

Oh, Wolferson is just being a wolf. She wants to be tough like Fang but doesn't dare bully him because she's afraid of him so she bullies me in little physical ways like shouldering past me, pushing past me in obstacle courses, calling me "runt," things like that. I can't complain because I'm the smallest and I'm going to have to take care of myself on the streets, right? You know where I'm coming from. You told me they mostly ignored you, and most of the big ones ignore me too, except for Hornton, who does like me. So I'm taking your example, Carrots.

Why I want to be a cop? You know why. For the uniforms.

Nick


	4. Chapter 4

From: jhopps

To: nwilde

Subject: Re: Educated Guess

Dear Nick,

Paddington really is sweet. He's well-meaning and he's a great guy. Think Clawhauser but without the fashion sense. Aaand also without most of the other senses, including common. How did you know right away about him? I didn't want to say anything bad about him and I still don't, but I am starting to think that maybe Chief Bogo gave him to me as a kind of punishment, only I don't know what I did wrong. He said when he assigned Paddington, "I hope you learn something from her," but I thought that was just one of those things that people say, you know?

I did some snooping and I found out where Annie Scruff was hanging out. We went down there and the first thing Paddington did was to tell everyone who we were looking for. They shut all the doors in our faces, literally, and we had to go back to the station without anything. Chief Bogo didn't look happy. Well, he never looks happy. But he especially didn't look happy. So I'm going to have to find a way to go back there by myself and not let Paddington know. Don't worry about it, I'll handle it. It's just frustrating and I can't talk to anyone else about it.

If you're in the same bed, then maybe you should go stand in the corner some night when you can't sleep and look up. I'm just saying. And also if you eat bananas it'll help with the soreness.

Love, Judy

P.S. You promised me you'd send me a picture of yourself in your training uniform and you still haven't. And I know what you told the class. Bearester told me. I want to know what you told the interviewer when you applied.

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From: nwilde

To: jhopps

Subject: Re: Educated Guess

A mystery! My goodness, I can't wait to investigate it. And before I've even graduated.

Tough luck about Annie. I'm sure you'll figure out a way around it. After all, you figured out a way around me. As for Paddington, well, Carrots, I know you. You know that clever is my thing, so if he were smart at all you would've said, "Don't worry, he's not as clever as you." But you would not say that if he was really dumb, because you'd feel bad about pointing it out. Not to mention that a cop whose defining characteristic is "everyone likes him" is probably not great at any other part of his job, and my impression of police over the last two decades is that stupidity is far more common there than anything else. I'm so glad you and I are working to change that.

Your letter was a welcome ego boost because today was a rough one for your favorite fox. Fangovin beat me in the run, mostly because my legs were still sore, and then we had to scale the ice wall and I got dunked in ice water and Bearester wouldn't let us dry our fur, so it's still wet. Hours later. I'm wrapped in a blanket finally and drinking something hot that smells like leaves. Everyone else except Wolferson is dry already and Wolferson is walking around bragging about how durable she is and how she doesn't need a blanket. It's almost enough to make a fellow throw a blanket off except it's really warm and nice.

I'll send you a picture when I'm not wet. My fur's a mess.

Nick

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From: jhopps

To: nwilde

Subject: Foxsicle

Dear Nick,

At least you got to show off your cleverness to me. Once you explained it it all made sense, and I can't even be annoyed at you because you're right. I wouldn't ever tell you that anyone was cleverer than you. Except me.

I fell in that ice water enough times that I know exactly how you feel, believe me. I found that if I ran around the track a few times, it burned off the dampness pretty well, plus it made Bearester like me more. But if your legs are too sore then I guess a blanket will work, too.

There's no way for me to get rid of Paddington. I mean, I tried giving him filing duty and report writing, but when he writes up reports he makes spelling mistakes and when he files folders they disappear faster than donuts on Clawhauser's desk never to be seen again. So Chief Bogo says I can't have him do that anymore. And I can't tell him to do something without me because he says he's supposed to learn from me. Nick, he is going to drive me CRAZY.

I asked Chief Bogo's permission to go undercover, but he ordered me to take Paddington with me. I tried to get out of it but he got THAT tone in his voice so I scurried out of there as fast as I could. So I'm going to have to do what you would do. I'm going to bend the rules a bit. I'm just going to go down there off duty as a private citizen and see what I can find out. I hate doing it but when I imagine asking you what to do, that's what I think you'd say, and then I argue with you and you ask me if there's another way and I say there isn't. So thanks. And if there is another way please message me. I'll have my phone on silent, I promise.

Love,

Judy

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From: nwilde

To: jhopps

Subject: Re: Foxsicle

Funny, that's what Wolferson called me, too. But I got even with her, or at least I've started to. I'll try your running thing today. But I'm curious: how did you get over the wall? And while we're at it, if you have any clues about the marshland training course, I'm all ears. I'm floundering there and the big guys just wade right through.

I didn't message you last night but I hope the undercover operation went well. It's just what I would have done.

Today we get to fight each other in a ring. I can only imagine how fun this was for you. I suspect they won't approve of my usual tactic of running through a narrow doorway, so I'll have to come up with something more inventive. Shouldn't be too hard.

Nick


	5. Chapter 5

From: jhopps

To: nwilde

Subject: Re: Foxsicle

Dear Nick,

I don't know if you'd call it a success. I found Annie, and it took me about an hour and a half of asking people who didn't want to talk to a bunny and pretending I had some illegal things to sell, and you know how I hate lying, plus I had to actually pretend I was willing to break the law, so I felt more and more horrible the farther I got into it. I wish I could be like you and not show it on the outside but I couldn't. It might have helped, because a couple times people looked like they were going to stop me and then just waved me through. Maybe they thought I looked like someone who belonged there. Ugh, that's even more depressing.

So I don't know if you ever saw where Annie lives, but it was worse than all the places I had to go through to get there. She lives on the edge of Savanna Square in a neighborhood they call Happytown. Seems to be a lot of predators there, but they're outnumbered by the bags of garbage lying around. I stepped over a passed-out jaguar, a cougar I think was homeless, and I gave my last couple bucks to a pack of wolves who pointed me to Annie's place and then went back to huddling around their fire under a pedestrian bridge. I didn't ask if they lived there.

Annie's in a tenth-floor tiny apartment that she shares with six other coyotes. That I saw. There are bunks stacked three high and it smells like they're cooking bugburgers all the time. She was nice enough when I told her I had business, opened the door and leaned there to talk to me, and I told her I was looking for some expensive fabric and I described the kind that Goldmane reported stolen. She said she knew of some but it had already been bought. So I asked her who bought it because I wanted to maybe buy it from them, and she started to close the door. That's when I told her you said I should talk to her.

Nick, she slammed the door on me. I heard her say to one of the other coyotes inside, "Nicky thinks he can send his new cop friends after me…"

I'm sorry. I'm going to have to figure out another way. Don't know what that is yet—if you have more ideas, I'm all ears. But I thought you'd want to know.

Love,

Judy

P.S. My first two sessions with the boxer were pretty rough. Hang in there. For the ice wall I used my classmates to get ahead. The marsh I just swam through. Good luck.

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From: nwilde

To: jhopps

Subject: Re: Foxsicle

Yeah, Carrots, I know Happytown. That's where I grew up.

I didn't realize so many people knew I was in the Academy. Guess you should probably stop using my name around.

Sorry,

Nick

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Chat initiated 1143pm

J: Nick?

J: yt?

J: I know you're up. Your status says 'online.' Who else are you texting?

N: You can tell these phones aren't designed by foxes.

N: Hi, Judy.

J: I'm sorry. I didn't know that was where you grew up.

J: I wouldn't have said anything.

J: I'm glad you got out of there.

N: It's okay. It's a bad place and most of the people there are bad too.

J: Not if there are more like you.

N: I'm not upset about you going there. I *sent* you there.

J: Then what's wrong?

J: Something's wrong, isn't it?

N: Hang on a second.

J: Sure.

N: Okay, sorry. I climbed out through the loose ceiling panel where you told me to look. Thanks for that, by the way. What did you use it for?

J: I got hungry some nights. I eat a lot more frequently than those bigger animals.

N: Ahh. I've been hungry too. But you probably figured that, didn't you?

J: :)

N: Clever bunny. Anyway, I'm up on the roof now. It's really nice tonight. Not too warm, and the stars are out. Did I ever tell you about the stars?

J: No.

N: I know I didn't. That was a rhetorical device to segue into the story.

J: If you're waiting for a 'clever fox,' keep waiting.

N: Ha ha. Anyway. It's really hard for foxes to see the stars in Zootopia. There's so much light pollution all the time, it saturates our night vision and we can't see anything in the sky but a grey haze. We can see the moon, because it's bright. That's about it. My mom kept saying she wanted to take me out to see the stars sometime, but we never did.

N: For the Junior Rangers test, I had to memorize constellations. They were like this mythical world that everyone else could see but me. But I trusted they were there, because other people told me so.

N: For a while. And later, not so much. But that night we almost got killed by Manchas, on the sky car just before dawn, I happened to glance up and see the sky, and there were stars in it. There were constellations I recognized from twenty-some years ago.

N: I didn't say anything at the time because we had other things on our mind.

N: Later, I didn't believe they'd been real. So I went to some of the more deserted areas of Zootopia at night and I looked up. They were still there. I picked out all the constellations, even saw a shooting star once. It was kind of amazing. Actually, scratch that 'kind of.'

N: So the stars make me think of you now. Like you showed me they're real.

N: Judy?

N: Carrots?

N: Are you there?

J: You told me that story to make me cry, DIDN'T YOU

N: ;)

J: IT WORKED.

N: The point of that story is I needed to come up here to see them.

N: Because I feel lost right now.

N: I've been texting a bunch of my old 'friends.' The ones who bothered to respond called me…well, think of a bad name for the police and I've got it in my message history. Finnick is the only one who didn't tell me to get lost, and even he said he couldn't tell anyone he was talking to me.

N: And all the other students here are ten years younger than me, and most of them don't like me very much either. So I needed to remind myself that someone somewhere does.

J: Did you tell me THAT to make me cry?

N: No. Are you?

J: NO.

N: Good. Don't feel sorry for me. Just be my friend.

J: I'm always that, Nick. Always.

J: And don't worry. When you graduate top of the class, you'll get a lot of respect, and then people will be open to seeing the real you.

N: Thanks for the confidence. I'll keep it in mind.

N: Now I should get back to sleep. I have a call to make anyway.

J: A call?

N: I'll explain later if it works. Goodnight, Carrots. Thanks.

J: Goodnight. Hang in there. It's worth it.

Chat terminated at 1208am


	6. Chapter 6

From: nwilde

To: jhopps

Subject: Ow part 2

Another reason I was down yesterday was that I got beat up pretty bad by Ironside. Boxing is definitely not for foxes. I was quick enough to dodge his punches until he got tired. But I had to knock him out and I couldn't figure out how to do that. So I tried climbing the ropes and jumping on him, and he swatted me to the canvas and then threw me around a while. The nurse SAYS my ribs aren't broken, but I want a second opinion.

I'm getting the hang of the marshland. There are patches of grass that are firm, and I'm starting to recognize those. I can hop between them and make pretty good time, even when it hurts to breathe. The ice wall is still tricky. Sorry, that uniform picture is going to have to wait.

But at least Wolferson seems quieter today. Score one for your clever fox.

Maybe you can get Annie on federal tax evasion too?

Nick

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From: jhopps

To: nwilde

Subject: Re: Ow part 2

Dear Nick,

I'm glad you're feeling better. Please text me anytime you need to talk to someone. I mean that.

I feel like I should ask you what you're doing to that poor wolf. I'm sure I'll hear about it in due time. And I don't think you've got the hops to imitate my technique at the boxing, so all I've got is the advice I kept telling myself every night: don't quit. You know you're better. You just have to figure out how to show them.

Annie hasn't declared any taxes, but she also didn't brag to me about how much money she makes, so that's a non-starter. I looked into health code and residential codes, and I asked Paddington to do some research on the history of Happytown just to keep him out of my way. (Hurry up and graduate please.) In the meantime Chief Bogo also has us out working a beat, so there's not much time to investigate.

Still waiting for that picture. And for you to tell me what you told the interviewer. Do you always have to be such a fox?

Love,

Judy

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From: nwilde

To: jhopps

Subject: Re: Ow part 2

Do you always have to be such a cop? ;)

You gave me an idea there with the boxing, actually. I'll try it tomorrow. I had a good chat with Hornton about it today because he got beat up pretty bad by Shaggy. I had to fight Tusker and it ended in sort of a draw but technically she won because she knocked me down once and I didn't knock her down at all (I think she would have broken the ring if I had). We were commiserating and he said "I mean, we're not going to be boxing criminals. If they fight, we'll have sticks and gear." And I said we should be able to call for backup in the ring. We both laughed at that, and I think that's the first time I laughed with one of my classmates.

But I think I've been going about the boxing all wrong. Like you said, I know I'm better (and you know I'm better), but foxes aren't about brute strength. You found a way to win that used what you were good at. I'm going to do that too.

There's a whole lot of stuff you could use on Annie: racketeering, receiving stolen merchandise, sticking her friends with the restaurant bill, howling during quiet time. But you'd have to prove it, and that might be harder than finding the stolen fabric some other way. So I have an unorthodox piece of advice for the Goldmane case: maybe stop worrying about it. Goldmane for sure doesn't want it solved. I don't know but I'd bet a bunch of cases go unsolved in the ZPD. Just write it up and submit the report and close it. Chief Bogo will probably be happy to have it off his desk, solved or no. I know that goes against your—well, everything, but from what I hear, that's how the ZPD works.

I mean, when I get there we will absolutely solve every single case. But I promise I'm not saying this so you'll feel like you need me. I'm helping you from here as much as I can.

Nick

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From: jhopps

To: nwilde

Subject: Re: Ow part 2

Dear Nick,

I can't. I can't because Chief Bogo when he assigned Paddington to me said "I hope you learn something." I can't because every day in bullpen he says, "How's that Goldmane case coming? I told him we have one of our rising stars on it." I can't because I was across from the break room the other day and Grizzoli was in there saying to Delgato that I caught a lucky break on a big case and that Paddington was a good match for me.

I looked up Paddington's history. He made a big bust his first year on the force, caught an armadillo ring smuggling diamonds in their shells. In the writeup it sounded like he and his partner tracked some of the smugglers down and he all by himself caught them red-pawed but I asked him about it and this is what he said:

"Oh yeah, those armadillos. Luzetti and me found where the diamonds were being sold and he went to the basement to find how they were getting in while I stayed by the car out front. And this big armadillo comes down the sidewalk and I was watching him because he was shuffling and it was a really hot day and I thought he might have a heart attack. Then a jogging tiger bumped into him, and a couple things clattered onto the ground, but he didn't seem to notice. So I went to pick them up for him and I noticed they were diamonds. Well, I called after him that he dropped his diamonds, but he just hurried faster. And then Luzetti came back and I said, 'That guy dropped these diamonds,' and Luzetti's way faster than I am—he's a cheetah—so he ran after the guy and caught him. And we got an award for it, which was pretty cool, and I got to meet the mayor."

That's why he's still on the force. That's what they think of me. And if I can't solve this case then I'm going to be another Paddington and Chief Bogo will put me on a team with some rhino and say "I hope you learn something from him." So I have to figure out how to solve this. Even if nobody wants it solved, even if there's no way to do it, I have to figure it out.

Love,

Judy


	7. Chapter 7

Chat initiated 1048 pm

N: Judy?

N: yt?

J: I'm here.

J: Sorry about the letter. It was a bit hysterical, I know.

N: No, I get it. You'd think they'd be more grateful for what you did. I know they don't think *I* did very much to help.

J: You'd be surprised. Fangmeyer keeps asking me how you're doing at the academy and when you'll get here. At first I thought it was because he liked you, but now I think maybe it's because he thinks you're the better cop.

N: Don't be ridiculous. You're the better cop and it's not even close.

N: And if you tell anyone I said that, I'll deny it.

J: Too bad I have it in chat now.

N: Also a chat in which you confessed to being hysterical. Fangmeyer is the…arctic wolf, right?

J: Touche. And yes.

N: Yeah. He brought me a latte. Nice guy. He said he had a fox friend growing up.

J: I can do this, can't I?

N: If anyone can, you can. And clearly someone must be able to, so therefore you can.

J: Hah. Thanks. So tell me about Wolferson. I need something to distract me.

N: Oh yeah. Okay, as long as you promise not to show this to anyone. Um, especially Fangmeyer.

J: Promise.

N: Remember your howling trick? Well, Shaggy leaves his phone unlocked all the time. And he sleeps in the bunk right next to ours. So I grabbed his phone and changed his ringtone for my number to a howl.

J: Oh no.

N: So I call his phone at night.

J: Nick…

N: And Wolferson heard the howling and started howling in her sleep. Woke herself up along with half the class. It was pretty funny actually.

J: Nick, that's mean. Anyway, didn't anyone wonder where the original howl came from?

N: No, because she said someone howled, and I said, Are you sure you didn't just dream it? And because the howling started in her sleep, she *had* been dreaming and the howl became part of it. So now she thinks she dreamed about someone howling and woke up howling and she's too embarrassed to pick on me.

J: If only you could use your cleverness for good.

N: I am now. Mostly. Look, Carrots, this wolf was picking on smaller animals, namely: me.

J: So are you going to tell her you did this?

N: Of course not. Didn't you just praise my cleverness?

J: Then how is she going to know that this happened because she was picking on you?

N: Um…that doesn't matter. What matter is that she's feeling as vulnerable as she made me feel.

J: That doesn't make things better. It just makes everyone feel bad.

N: Not me. I feel great. Look, you are an exceptional person because you're so good to everyone. Most of the time. But sometimes you need to take big guys down a peg.

N: Wait.

J: Promise me you won't do it again.

N: Carrots, listen.

N: Yeah, yeah, I promise. Listen: you're going about this Annie thing all wrong. You're trying to get at her the way I would get at her. Think about what you did with Mr. Big.

J: O-kay. So…does Annie have a daughter I could save the life of?

N: Annie lives in Happytown.

J: I can help her!

N: There you go.

J: I can—I can get the trash picked up! Or the fleas exterminated!

N: Whoa, whoa, Carrots, did you catch fleas in her building?

J: No, but I just assumed.

N: A little bit presumptuous but probably accurate. But yeah. You get the idea. Get her on your side.

J: But are you sure that will work? It didn't with you.

N: Technically you never offered me anything to help you. You appealed to my better nature, which was taking a long siesta. And also, at the time I thought the world was a place where you either took or got taken. Annie's not like that. She's wary but she'll respond.

J: Oh, Nick. Thank you.

N: Hey. You're the one who came up with this. I just reminded you who you are.

J: Yeah. That's what I was thanking you for. You've done that a couple times now.

N: Ah, you know, what are friends for? And I promise I'll lay off Wolferson.

J: Okay, but…

J: If she starts picking on you, then I won't be upset if you play that trick again.

N: :)

N: I better get to bed. Goodnight, Carrots.

J: Goodnight, Blueberries.

N: Wait, what?

J: I was looking for something to call you.

N: "Carrots" is an affectionate name built with our friendship that reminds me never to take you lightly. "Blueberries" is just a name you made up because I like blueberries.

N: You might as well call me "Clever Quips."

J: But "Blueberries" reminds me of how you wouldn't abandon me back in the museum. And how I shouldn't ever take you lightly either.

J: So?

N: Goodnight, Carrots. You can crack this case, I promise.

J: Night, Blueberries. Thanks.

Chat terminated 1116 pm

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From: nwilde

To: jhopps

Subject: Finally

Carrots,

Attached is a picture of me in my uniform. Okay, confessional time here: I took this picture two days ago and I've been staring at it a long time. I looked at myself in the mirror when I got the uniform, but they don't have a lot of mirrors around here and I haven't sought any out. Never really needed a mirror to know how good I looked. So seeing it on me again after a couple weeks of seeing my classmates in the same uniform… how can I explain this? It reminded me that I'm part of something here, the same thing you're part of. I'm leaving behind a lot of things and a lot of people, but I'm also joining something. I can't help but think that if I'd been there with you, maybe I could've talked my way around Annie.

On the other paw, maybe she'd have done worse than slam the door on us. I guess we'll see.

There was trouble in the class today and you will be pleased to know that I had nothing to do with it. Actually two things happened, but Bearester only noticed one of them. Ironhide and Tusker finally got into it during the ice wall climb. He pushed her out of the way and she body-checked him into the water. None of us has fallen in in a while, but he smashed through the ice and came out soaked, yelled something none of us could understand, and charged her. Bearester had to break it up. She yelled at us about fighting, but they make us chase each other and box each other, so what do they expect?

That's what Fangovic said after dinner, when we were alone in our quarters and supposed to be studying the manual—confidentially, Carrots, yours truly already knows that thing backwards and forwards and still spends more time poring through it than any of the rest of the class. Wolferson said Bearester was right and Fangovic told her to go howl it to her blog. She started to get huffy, and then he howled and she laid her ears back and stomped out of the room.

So I feel bad about that trick now. Just a little. But I thought about something else, too, what Bearester said and how I was looking at myself in this uniform for this picture, and so I went to talk to the rhinos. Hornton is always glad to talk to me, and I was counting on that. I got Ironside and Stone to listen, too. They don't have anything against me; I think they kind of don't notice me because I'm not tough. And I told them how I thought we should all be proud of each other as a class. I pointed out the things they've done and how far we've all come in a week. We still can't get over the ice wall in good time, but we're getting over it, and we've all learned how to keep sand out of our eyes in a storm.

And they were all like, what's your point, and I said, hang in there, here it comes: we should be working together. We all want to graduate first in the class, you know, but the important thing is what happens after that. These kids, Carrots, they don't know what real life is about. When you're in school, you've got people telling you what to do to get ahead. You get graded, you get detention. But in life, it's all about who you know.

Then followed the typical tiresome "what's in it for you," which I gritted my teeth through, although I admit it was shorter than I'm used to. I explained patiently that's what's in it for me is the same as what's in it for all of us: a better future as officers. The idea isn't to beat out each other, it's to beat out the bad guys, and if one of us ends up being the other's partner at some point (don't worry, I used myself purely as a hypothetical example, unless you get too attached to Paddington), don't we want to be sure that our partner is absolutely the best possible partner?

(Also, there are a few other classes in the academy now, and don't we want ours to be best?)

So we talked for a while. They told me some things to watch for while boxing, and I told them some tricks us little animals use to get away (not *all* my tricks, of course). We talked about the ice wall, and I pointed out that Bearester never said we had to go up it alone, so we worked out a way the rhinos could help the first two up and those could drop a rope for the third. They said I could climb on one of their backs, but Stone happened to be playing with a fork she'd taken from the cafeteria, and I asked if I could have it. I think it'll make an excellent tool to help my paws get traction on the ice.

Wolferson walked in as we were talking about that part and said she hoped the rhinos had gotten any agreement in writing. We ignored her and she went away. I was thinking about calling Shaggy's phone again tonight, but typing this all out made me a little sentimental or something so I probably won't.

Tell me how it's going with Paddington and Bogo and Annie.

"Blueberries"


	8. Chapter 8

_[Quick note from the author: thank you everyone who has come to read, fave, or review my little fic here. I haven't replied to reviews because I feel like if I start replying to one I have to reply to all of them so people aren't wondering 'why didn't mine get a reply?' but I really do appreciate all the words and the love and I'm glad to be sharing this with all of you. And if you have an urgent question, I will reply to PMs._

 _Also: the editor seems to be taking out spaces between e-mails and messing up the e-mail addresses, or maybe I just noticed that now? Working on getting around that.]_

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From: jhopps

To: nwilde

Subject: Re: Finally

Dear "Blueberries,"

You look—strange. But good. I really like that picture, and I can't wait to see you in your actual uniform.

And your story was great too. You're thinking like a real cop. Don't make that face at me, you are. That's the point of all this, right? Don't worry about Wolferson and Fangovic. Some of the guys and gals in my class went after each other, too. I just stayed out of the way. They wouldn't have listened to me anyway.

Annie and Bogo and Paddington. Okay, those are three separate stories. I hope you're sitting down.

Paddington first. You have NOTHING to worry about in the me becoming attached department. He has gone from being useless to being annoying over the last couple days. I've tried to explain to him that we're attempting to build up goodwill in this neighborhood, and he keeps telling me that there's a Happytown precinct that's supposed to take care of it. Which they are, sort of, but they're part of our department, not one of the local police forces that have their own stations. It feels like he's afraid to go there. Nick, how can I remind him that _he is a predator_? And he doesn't even understand what we're doing. He says we should bring in Annie and "make her talk," that that's how his partner used to do it. I said he's supposed to be learning from me and he says okay, but then he doesn't want to do the things I'm asking him to and he won't just leave me alone. It's making everything take twice as long and you know how I am with patience.

I've asked Bogo to change partners and he said, "Well, if you can't handle Paddington, I can find someone who moves a little faster. But go through too many partners and you'll find yourself working solo." I started explaining my problems to him and he said—you're probably way ahead of me on this—"I don't care." I asked if he had any other cases I could take on and he said, "You want to take on another case in addition to the Goldmane one?" Then I felt like he was asking me if I wanted to quit and like I told you, I can't quit.

Annie is the most hopeful part. After a day talking to the Happytown precinct, I _finally_ got them to send me over the blotter for the last month. It turns out that the crime most reported by residents is vandalism—broken glass on the sidewalk, graffiti on the buildings. I guess some residents really do care about their neighborhood. So I'm looking at seeing if I can get the mayor's office to clean up the sidewalks more often, and maybe I'll do some night patrols with Paddington to prevent the vandalism. What do you think?

Can't wait to hear how the ice wall goes!

Love,

Judy

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From: nwilde

To: jhopps

Subject: Re: Finally

First, the Happytown stuff. You should know that vandalism gets reported not because people care about it so much but because they want to get their neighbors in trouble. Everyone "marks" at some point in their life. If you get caught doing it, people laugh at you, but that's all. Doing some night patrols might earn you some goodwill, buuut I would suggest maybe looking at some of the less common crimes on the blotter. Things have to be pretty bad before they'll report something to the police. The only time I ever saw folks in Happytown say nice things about the cops was when they caught that guy who was robbing people's stores at night. Do a lot of what you do best: go talk to people, get that big smile up in their faces. You'll have it done by the time I'm out of here, right?

The ice wall tricks got mixed results. The rhinos aren't much better at helping each other over than they are at helping themselves. But the forks worked great for me. But that meant the rhinos all suspected me of playing them just to get the forks, so I had to sit with them and go over the technique on the side of the building for an hour after dinner. After several explanations, and demonstrations with a bag stuffed with dirt (because I can't lift a rhino), I think they're getting the hang of it. Shaggy came by and sounded interested, and it turns out that buffalo have a lot more upper body strength than I'd thought.

Alas, on the intellectual front, there is less progress. I tried to get them to study the manual. Not just the rhinos; I told Tusker and Shaggy that they really needed to know this stuff backwards and forwards, and offered to help anyone who wanted my help. I meant it, too, Carrots. Studying with someone else helps you learn faster. But nobody wanted to study with the fox. Their loss.

Wish I could help you with Bogo. If I were there I'd say to his face, "Hey, chief, you want me to solve this case, unclamp the six hundred pound deadweight from my ankle." But you're too nice to say that. I bet you put your paw to your mouth to cover a laugh or a gasp as you read that. You're one of the most persuasive people I know (after a certain Mr. B) so I'm sure you'll be able to win him over. Just use the ol' Hopps charm.

"Blueberries"

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From: jhopps

To: nwilde

Subject: Re: Finally

Dear Nick,

The more I find out about Happytown, the more I'm glad you got out of there. Your parents still live there, though, don't they? I found a couple crimes that might fit what you were talking about. I'll check with that precinct and see what they've come up with, and maybe I can crack one of the cases. I like your idea for Chief Bogo (and it made me laugh, not gasp), but I'm trying to stay out of his way these days because I'm doing a lot of outside work and I don't know how he'd feel about that. And I'm handling Paddington as best I can. Every day is getting a little better. So I think, what, three more months? Should be enough for me to put this one to bed, as we say in the ZPD.

It feels like things are getting better for you too. You're doing the best you can, and that's what's important in the Academy. Bearester recognizes that even if she doesn't always show it.

Love,

Judy


	9. Chapter 9

From: nwilde

To: jhopps

Subject: Re: Finally

Funny you should mention Bearester. I got a lecture from her the other day about trying to get around the physical tests. I pointed out that I'm never going to be able to (for example) push a tree out of my way in the marshlands, but I will be able to get between spaces that Tusker can't, and shouldn't that count for something? She wasn't talking about that though, or the ice wall—she actually said she admired my thinking in using forks to climb with because of course out in the real world we'll have tools to use or else we'll have to learn how to adapt tools and it showed real initiative.

Anyway. She was talking about the boxing, I think, so let me tell you about that for a bit. I figured out like you did that I'm never going to actually be able to box some of these bigger guys, or even the medium sized ones. I thought I might be able to hold my own against Wolferson, and I ducked and jumped around but then she caught me on the muzzle and that was kind of the end of that (and Bearester got mad at me because I stayed down and didn't get up again even though I was dizzy and getting up again wouldn't have accomplished anything except to get me hit again and can you tell which part of this training I hate the most? I spent years learning not to get hit on the streets and now I go into a little ring where I'm trapped with someone who wants to hit me? Are you serious?).

So I started thinking about how I avoided fights. Sometimes it would be through running away, getting into smaller spots where the people who wanted to hit me couldn't get to. I know a million of those all over Zootopia. But mostly it was through avoiding getting hit in the first place, talking my way out of fights. (And I saw some video of your boxing matches. All I can say is, wow, Carrots, I must be a pretty smooth talker to have avoided getting kicked in the jaw.)

Clearly neither of those was going to work in this case. But I thought maybe I could adapt them. So I stopped trying to fight. I'd go in the ring, I'd defend myself if I needed to, but mostly I ran around and dodged and let whoever I was fighting get tired. And if they stopped chasing me, I'd taunt them so they'd get angry and keep fighting.

(This might be related to why they have trouble liking me, but trust me, I didn't mean any of it. Most of it.)

Well, finally this last week that started working. I got Ironside tired out and then I ran up his back and jumped on his head. Bruised my heels but knocked him down pretty good. Fangovic was harder because he's faster and in better shape, but after about forty-five minutes, he was leaning on the ropes, and when I told him his stripes were drooping and we could quit if he wanted, he lunged at me, left his guard down, and I head-butted him in the stomach. Knocked the wind out of him, knocked him down, and then I jumped on his chest when he tried to get up.

Fangovic was talking to Bearester about it when he thought I couldn't hear, so I knew it was him even though she tried to pass it off as "several complaints." Thing is, she agrees with them. Bears, you know, they like lots of punching and physicality, and my whole running around avoiding everything didn't go over well. "Is that what you're going to do when you're facing a dangerous criminal?" she wanted to know, and I said sure, why not, buy time until backup comes? Seems reasonable. I pointed out too that those guys are going to have to deal with little fellows from time to time and that if they can't track down one little fox, how are they going to get a weasel, a bunny (yeah, I went there), a squirrel?

She had to admit I was right on that one, but she still didn't want to give me high marks in boxing. I told her I would take a passing grade if she admitted I didn't have to do it anymore, and if she found an opponent my size I would take training in it. So that's where we left it. If she calls you to ask you to box me, please say you're busy with a very important case.

And on that subject, yeah, my mom still lives in Happytown. My dad maybe. He took off when I was pretty young. I've been sending money to my mom since about then. I told her I was accepted to the Zootopia Police Academy and she said she cried and then also asked me if that meant I wasn't going to be getting married this year. Parents, huh?

"Blueberries"

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From: jhopps

To: nwilde

Subject: Big ears

Dear Nick,

It really burns me up when people talk behind your back. They forget that us big-eared types can hear them. Like when Delgato and McHorn were talking about how mean I'm being to Paddington the other day.

No, really. This guy who won't help me with our investigation, who drags his feet whenever I try to do anything, who can't even alphabetize properly, who's afraid to go out on the streets of Happytown— _I'm_ being mean to _him_. Does that make any sense? I don't think it does but I'm just checking because I know sometimes I can't tell. And I don't have anyone else to ask. I tried asking my dad but all he said was how important it was that I get along with my co-workers. And also that Paddington maybe had the right idea in not going to dangerous parts of town. Sheesh. At least they aren't trying to set me up with any bunnies.

I'm really impressed with your boxing, if that counts for anything. I mean, of course you couldn't do what I did, foxes not being naturally gifted with strong legs like us bunnies, but you did the best you could with what you had. I'm sure Bearester would appreciate it if she'd take a minute to think about it like that.

I noticed that most of the non-vandalism crimes in Happytown happened between 5 am and 7 am. Cornwall—he's a buffalo and the main officer in Happytown I've been talking to—told me that most of the foxes, coyotes, raccoons, and possums in Happytown are nocturnal, so it's most active at night, and a couple hours before dawn is when the streets start clearing out and people go to bed, so that's when the thieves are most active.

The two crimes I'm looking at are related, I think. In one case a coyote was robbed when he was tripped and then hit in the head; in the other case a fox had a bag dropped on his head and he said a "smaller animal" grabbed his wallet. Sound familiar at all? Like how you might take on a rhino in the boxing ring? I think we might be looking for a couple weasels working together. I'm going to ask Cornwall if we have files on any weasels known to be part of a gang or something. I'll also see if I can interview the fox to get more details about the animal.

Meanwhile I'm being nicer to Paddington, although I'm tired during the days we're together because I'm investigating this other case at night, and I am running out of things to ask him to do for the Goldmane case that won't actually ruin the other things we're doing. I bought him donuts today and hopefully people won't keep thinking I'm mean to him.

Love,

Judy


	10. Chapter 10

From: nwilde

To: jhopps

Subject: Re: Big Ears

Oh, Carrots, you have no idea the things I've heard here and didn't report back. Mostly it's not things that matter: one of my classmates talking to another about how she'd like to beat up a third one (not me, amazingly); another classmate crying from homesickness the first week. Someone has an embarrassing skin condition (which explains the weird-smelling lotion on their fur, and don't get me started on the smells I have encountered here; I'll say that I know exactly when the cafeteria food doesn't agree with someone, and whom that someone is, and the cafeteria food is terrible so that happens pretty much every day). I'm sure you know a few things about your fellow officers too.

The Paddington situation, though, that's tricky. You know I'm not one for working in group settings, but one thing I have learned over the years is that you've got to try to keep everyone happy. It's not enough just to be good. Sometimes you have to be nice too, and maybe that means letting Paddington take credit for some work you did. For me it's trying to get these

(I typed out about six different words I don't want to use there; let's just settle for:)

other students to study the police manual. I'm learning a few things myself from reading it, believe it or not. I know, hold in your amazement. I keep seeing laws and figuring out ways to get around them and then I have to remind myself, hold on, I need to enforce them. If only I'd had one of these to study about ten years ago…

And you'll be pleased to know that Shaggy and the rhinos (that sounds like a band, doesn't it?) are getting much better at the ice wall and today is the first day in a week that Ironside didn't threaten to hold me under the ice water if they didn't improve.

(It's a joke. I'm pretty sure. Maybe I kicked him in the head too hard.)

So I gave them some tips for beating Fangovic in the boxing ring. Would you believe these guys don't know how to fake being fatigued? I think maybe when you're the size of a fox's house you don't figure you need a lot of strategy to get through life because you can just trample anything that gets in your way. I'm sure none of them can do a death scene like you, but fortunately they won't need to.

And I'm sure that when your parents do set you up with a bunny, he'll be a real Schwarzenhare type. So he can protect you in big, bad Zootopia.

Nick

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From: jhopps

To: nwilde

Subject: Noses

Dear Nick,

You gave me an idea, actually. Not about getting set up with a Schwarzenhare (ew), but about being protected. First time I went to Happytown, I went with Paddington. The second time, I went in the evening before people were out. So I'm going to use myself as bait and go out early in the morning to see if I can lure this gang of weasels or whatever out into the open.

And the manual, isn't that crazy? A lot of my class was the same way. They said the laws change, they'll learn on the job, they'll have a superior to tell them the rules, and they just did the bare minimum to pass. They were a lot more concerned about being the strongest and getting through the obstacle courses and all that stuff. That's why I'm so confident you'll get first in your class. You already know most of the book and you're smarter than anyone else in the class.

We had another meeting today where Chief Bogo mentioned that I was still working on the Goldmane case. Meanwhile McHorn got praised for bringing in a shoplifter from Savanna Square. Yesterday it was Pennington who brought in a camel smuggling ring. And every time I feel like they're all looking at me, like I can't catch a measly fabric thief. I did start to tell Chief Bogo once about your theory but he asked what evidence it was based on and I couldn't tell him I just heard it from you because that's not real evidence. I don't mean to say I don't believe it! I just mean I can't arrest anyone based on it. You understand that, right?

Everything else is going fine here. It's getting to be harvest time which makes me miss home, and my parents keep sending me pictures of the produce. I think they still think I might come back to be a peace warden in Bunnyburrow. Do you talk to your mom much?

Love,

Judy


	11. Chapter 11

From: nwilde

To: jhopps

Subject: Re: Noses

Carrots,

Be careful. I know I don't have to tell you that, but…be careful. Happytown is the kind of place your parents were thinking of when they got terrified about you being a cop. Write me as soon as you get back, okay?

I write my mom every now and then. I've sort of been not entirely truthful with her for her own good the last few years regarding my, ah, situation, but I did tell her I was going to become a cop. She's happy, sort of. But also worried. Happytown cops don't have the best reputation. I thought I'd be able to change that, but you know how that went. So she worried either that the other cops would hate me, or that I'd turn into one of those guys.

And she might not be wrong on that last point. I may never forgive you for this: I'm bonding with rhinos. Don't you dare tell anyone. They have a game on their phones, some kind of charge-at-blocks game, and they got me to download it to. So we're all playing it together and discovering that we all like superhero movies (surprise).

Wolferson got snippy at me again, said something about how I was clearly trying to pick off the weakest members of the class before moving on to her and Fangovic. The tiger joined in, the only time I've seen those two agree on anything, and none of my new "friends" spoke up to defend me (though they didn't like being called 'weakest' and Hornton did remind them that I'd helped capture a predator-hating criminal, which usually I don't like to bring up but it was a good time and his heart was in the right place, that being about four feet above mine). I won't lie, that hurt a little. But I'm trying to forget about it and keep the peace. That's what we're supposed to do at the ZPD, right?

Maybe I'll call Shaggy tonight. I know I shouldn't. I probably won't.

Let me know how it goes with the garbage collection. And while we're on the subject of parents, what's so great about harvest time?

Nick

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From: nwilde

To: jhopps

Subject: Re: Noses

Carrots,

I'm not going to say I'm worried because I haven't heard from you in two days. I'm sure you caught the weasels and have been filing paperwork and are super-busy. But you know, it'd be nice to hear how your work is going.

Graduation here is a month away and the big news is that we are the only class who hasn't had someone drop out yet. Usually, Bearester told us, there's one mammal who just isn't physically up to the challenge. She looked at me the whole time she said it, but I sat there and didn't say anything because I'm still the fastest in the class now that I'm not sore every day, and I can get through the marsh habitat in eight minutes twenty-four seconds which I mention so you know I have a month left to shave another ten seconds off my time. I'm coming for your record, rabbit.

Not everything's perfect here, though. Me, the rhinos, and Shaggy hang out together, while Wolferson and Fangovic have started palling up to Tusker. We haven't separated out into official teams or anything but we definitely cluster together during the physical exercises.

The other reason someone usually drops out is failing the mid-term, but you will be happy to know that all of us at the very least passed our test on the manual. Ironside and Shaggy barely got by, and I like to think that was thanks to my help/prodding. If not, we might be down one rhino and one buffalo.

You know, they're not my old friends from the neighborhood, but there's something nice about not having to be on my guard all the time.

Now get your work done and then write and tell me how clever I am for helping my friends (friends?) get past their tests.

Nick

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From: nwilde

To: jhopps

Subject: Re: Noses

Okay, Carrots, officially worried here. If I don't hear back from you tomorrow morning, I'm going to start calling people.


	12. Chapter 12

Chat initiated 917pm

J: Hi, Nick.

N: Carrots!

N: Hang on. No. Tell me what happened while I get back to my bunk.

J: I'm fine.

J: So you don't worry.

J: I was in the hospital for a couple days but it was just for observation.

J: Because when you get hit in the head people worry way too much.

J: But it wasn't that bad. I wasn't even knocked out. I mean, not really. I was woozy and I might've passed out for a little bit. Like five minutes, tops.

N: Are you serious? You got hit in the head and you were in the hospital and you're fine? Does that sound fine?

N: I told you to be careful. I can't believe you didn't listen to me.

J: Nick, I promise, they ran all the tests. I don't have a concussion or anything.

J: Okay, hang on! I was careful! They caught me off guard.

J: It wasn't weasels. It was rats.

N: Off guard? How could—wait, rats?

J: Yes, rats. One of them was begging in the street, pretending to be crippled. He stopped me and asked for money and I was digging in my pocket when something whacked me on the head.

J: I fell down and I heard the begging rat say, "Don't kill her," and the other one, a girl, said, "I didn't hit her so hard," and they stole my wallet and my phone and I don't remember them leaving, but I found a coyote walking around and convinced her to call the police. Then they took me to the hospital and they called my parents and Chief Bogo but they wouldn't call you and it took me until now to get a new phone.

J: Nick?

N: I'm trying to process all this.

J: I'm fine, and I know what the criminals look like now.

N: But they called your parents.

N: That must have been rough.

J: It…did not go well. Dad cried and Mom said that two of my little brothers now want to be police because of me, so she took a picture of me in the hospital to convince them not to.

N: Wow.

N: Think she'd send me the photo if I asked?

J: Nick!

N: Well, it'd be nice to have something to remind you you're not a superhero. Plus I bet you're glaring at her.

J: I'm going to tell her not to send it to you.

N: You're sure you're all right?

J: Positive. No headaches even. I slept great and I want to get back out and catch those rats.

N: *sigh*

J: It's what I do as a police officer, Nick! And what you're going to have to do too!

N: Oh, I know that. I was just sad you were going to catch them before I had a chance to whack 'em on the head for what they did to you.

J: That's technically not allowed.

N: If they're resisting arrest, it is.

J: You shouldn't even be thinking that way.

N: Carrots, I had enough friends who got that end of the stick that it's hard for me not to. But all right. By the book.

J: Right. I'll get 'em. And I had another idea anyway, but I'll e-mail it to you when I tell you about harvest time. Now you should be studying. That test creeps up on you fast.

N: All right. Rest that head and catch those rats. And Carrots?

J: What?

N: If you let someone sneak up behind you again, I'll never stop teasing you about it.

J: *salutes*

N: *salutes*

Chat terminated at 0956 pm

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From: jhopps

To: nwilde

Subject: Ideas

Dear Blueberries,

Again, I'm fine. Thank you for worrying about me. And I'm sorry I made you worry.

So anyway, here's my idea. Last time I was in Happytown I mentioned how bad it smells, right? Well, I didn't think about it, but Annie's a coyote, and there are lots of foxes there, too. It must be pretty horrible to be going around with all that garbage stinking up the place, especially in the warmer parts. So I went over to the Public Utilities today to see why the garbage doesn't get picked up, and they said that their garbage crew got things thrown at them sometimes, and a couple got hurt. But Nick, they were sending in otters and rats and beavers. I asked if they had any rhinos or elephants they could call in, but those teams are busy in other parts of town. So then I thought they could do some pickups with a police escort. I know, I don't have the authority to order police to come around there but I'm working on that.

Harvest time in Bunnyburrow is just the best. All the markets are full of fruit and we get apples from Straw Hollow and so there's cider and apple juice for the kits and candied apples and strawberries (not blueberries; those come in earlier) and of course carrots. But our Carrot Days festival is the best. There's a big fair with games and food stalls and all the kits from the school put on a show. We got the days off school because the older kits were helping with the harvest, and except for a couple years when the crops didn't come in so good, everyone's happy most of the time.

This'll be the first year I miss it, unless I can get some days off to go back there, and that's not looking like it's gonna happen, because I really need to wrap up this thing.

Oh, Paddington got me a big thing of flowers and a box of carrots while I was in the hospital and he says there's another box of carrots ready for me when I get back in to the station tomorrow morning. He really is just a super nice guy. I feel kinda bad about all the things I said about him. Not that they weren't true! I just feel bad about saying them.

Love,

Judy


	13. Chapter 13

From: nwilde

To: jhopps

Subject: Re: Ideas

Carrots,

I wouldn't have thought of getting the garbage picked up because it was such a part of my childhood. We had a cheap place that was near Sahara Square, so it was pretty warm all the time and the smells were pretty terrible. My mom told me that it was a great apartment because it was so close to the park (Bedford Park, a real luxury green space with authentically green concrete and two actual trees that somehow managed not to die for years). I remember the first time I went into Tundratown and it didn't smell like garbage and I was so amazed.

I'm glad you're okay and hey, maybe you can really get this done in time to go home for Harvest Festival time or whatever it is. It sounds great. Is there another festival when the blueberries come in or do they just roll through town and nobody notices?

So, um, good and bad updates from here. The good news is that all of my big lumbering students have got the ice wall licked (figuratively speaking—I mean, literally too, but that was just the first week until Bearester told them to stop). We're working on the sandstorm and I'm trying to help them with their fighting, but for the most part their physical education is going along swimmingly without my help (except for the actual swimming part, which rhinos are terrible at). I think I can get them to study just enough of the manual to pass. At least they understand that failing equals not becoming a police officer and thereby disappointing mommy or not getting to step on bad guys or what have you.

The bad update: Bearester called me into her office again and told me that I was dividing up the class and setting people against each other. She said that I'm ten years older and she expected me to be mature even if not everybody did, which is the nicest way she could say that nobody else trusted the fox. Points to her for that. But she also said that I have to fix it. How am I supposed to do that, I said, when Fangovin (it's FangoVIN, not FangoVIC like I keep thinking—I bet it's because of that Olga Fangovic who was in the "Zombtopia" horror movies, not that I saw any of those, they're terrible) and Wolferson, who are probably the ones who complained about this (long pause during which she looked at her coffee mug and didn't say anything), don't trust me and don't want to trust me and in fact probably just complained so that I would get in trouble and maybe kicked out because I was a fox?

She said: You can't just get out of doing things because "people hate me because I'm a fox." Then she said that if I couldn't trust my fellow officers—all of them—I'd be DEAD ("You're DEAD, swishybutt," is literally what she said, which left me choking between laughing and being offended, but you'll be pleased to know that I recovered as I was leaving her office and said, "If you like my butt that much, you didn't have to make me keep going up that ice wall. You could've just asked for a picture." I got out while she was laughing.). I pointed out that they didn't trust me, and she said, "Well, you got the rest of the class to trust you."

So there I am, Carrots. I need to make a pompous tiger and a stuck-up timber wolf like me somehow, or I definitely won't graduate first and maybe not at all. It's not fair, but I'm used to that.

"Blueberries" (it's starting to grow on me)

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From: jhopps

To: nwilde

Subject: Re: Ideas

Dear Nick,

I guess I can go home for the harvest after all. I went in to work today and Chief Bogo called me in to tell me he's marking the Goldmane case unsolved and taking me off it.

Paddington got two case files of people who haven't paid parking tickets. So we'll be tracking them down.

I don't know how you can make a tiger like you, but maybe Fangmeyer can talk to Wolferson. Or howl to her or something. I believe you can do it. And when you graduate, maybe Bogo will give us another case we can solve.

Love,

Judy

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From: nwilde

To: jhopps

Subject: Re: Ideas

Carrots!

Whoa, hey, don't give up. What did I tell you? Never let 'em see that they get to you. So what if Chief Hornhead marked the case 'unsolved'? Does that mean that if you come back to the station with proof of the solution that they'll ignore it?

Look, I just found out that me and a rhino both know all the words to the Fur Fighters "Hero." In a world where that happens, nothing is impossible.

"Blueberries"

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From: jhopps

To: nwilde

Subject: Re: Ideas

Dear Nick,

Thanks for the thoughts, but I think this is one time when I'm better off giving up. What kind of example would I be setting for you if I disobeyed orders all the time? I almost got fired for insubordination once already, and Chief Bogo made it perfectly clear that this case is off limits now, meaning I'm not supposed to waste any more time on it. It's not worth risking my job over. I mean, think of all the people I won't be able to help if I get fired.

"Hero" is a great song and everyone should know the words to it. So don't be all shocked about that. Next time the Fur Fighters tour Zootopia, we're going.

Love,

Judy


	14. Chapter 14

From: nwilde

To: jhopps

Subject: Re: Ideas

Nope. Nope nope nope. I don't buy it. You defied his orders—and broke the biggest case in the last twenty years. Go back and look at your e-mails, at how excited you were at the chance to help the mammals in Happytown.

There's got to be a complaint in Happytown that relates to the garbage somehow, right? So work on it from that angle, don't tell Bogo, and then ask Annie for help.

I could've told Bearester there was no way Fangovin and Wolferson would ever accept me. _Ever_. Nobody would have blamed me for it. They made it pretty clear they didn't trust me, didn't like me, didn't want to be my classmate. But Bearester wouldn't let me get away with that. So that's how I ended up getting dunked in the ice water again for the first time in like two weeks. Maybe three.

He said he wanted me to show him the ice wall trick. So we snuck out there and I put the forks on. Told him he could use his claws, and right about then he said, "You're so clever, aren't ya? Did you see this coming?" and swatted me off the wall and into the water.

I know I could go tell Bearester, but what's the point? I just dried off and came in here to write you about it. Maybe I'll try Wolferson tomorrow. Or next week. The point is…I'm sure I had a point. Hang on. I'll remember it.

Right. The point is, I'm not going to give up. There's always a way. And if the goal is worthwhile enough, you'll find it.

Now my fur's almost dry. Gonna go roll around on my bed and think about another way to make friends with a big jerk tiger.

Blueberries

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From: jhopps

To: nwilde

Subject: Re: Ideas

Dear Nick,

I really appreciate the pep talk, but I think in this case it's really not worth it. In your case, Bearester actually told you to make friends with Fangovin, so you're not going against orders. And speaking of that, if you want a little advice…the way I got to know you and become your friend was when you opened up to me. Maybe that's what you need to do with these guys.

Paddington and I have tracked down nine mammals who owe parking tickets, so we brought in a lot of money to the station. Chief Bogo's pretty happy about that. This is just part of being a cop. You don't always get to solve the big cases or do the glamorous work. You'll have to get used to it, too. And tracking down those mammals is...fun. It is making the world a better place, in a way. Or at least a more lawful place.

Anyway, who cares if this guy stole from himself? He's cheating the insurance company, I guess, but Dad always said insurance companies were swindlers. Speaking of Dad, I'm going to take off tomorrow and head back home for the Harvest Days. I'll be in better spirits when I get back, I promise.

Good luck!

Love,

Judy

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Chat initiated 0644 am

N: Carrots?

N: yt?

J: Hi, Blueberries.

J: That's too long to type on my phone. I might just go back to Nick. What's up?

N: Okay look.

N: Here's what I told the interviewer: I grew up thinking that the world was the way it was, and nobody could change it.

N: Then I met someone who showed me that you could make a difference if you tried hard enough.

N: And now that I know that…I have to try. I want to make a difference. After all, I can't let a bunny do better than a fox.

N: (I might not have said that last part.)

N: (But maybe I did.)

J: Aw, that's sweet. 3

N: So? Are you going to keep going on the Goldmane case?

N: And hurry up, I have to be at roll call in twelve minutes.

J: I will, yes! I already picked up the blotter from Happytown.

N: Wait. "Already"?

J: Yep. Your second e-mail really convinced me.

N: …

N: So what was with the "I'm giving up and going home"?

J: Well, I wanted to see how far you'd go to convince me. Like if you'd finally tell me why *you* joined the force.

J: And you did.

J: And it really is sweet. I feel bad about the way I got you to tell me.

J: Nick?

N: I'm just going back and reading your e-mail. It's pretty clever.

N: Encouraging me to open up. Talking about making the world a better place.

J: Well, you wouldn't tell me! I had to trick you!

N: You did that, all right.

N: Okay, I should go to roll call.

J: Nick!

J: Wait!

N: It's okay, Carrots. I just opened my heart to you and it was all a trick.

N: I'll recover.

J: I'm sorry!

J: I know you're my friend and it means SO MUCH to me that you're giving up your life, basically ALL your life, and joining me as a ZPD officer. I really do value you and please don't be mad at me!

N: Friends, Carrots, should be able to trust each other.

J: I know! I just thought it'd be funny.

J: Wait. Are you REALLY mad?

N: Gotcha. :)

N: Clever bunny.

J: Mean fox!

N: Gotta get to roll call. Let me know how you do on the case.

J: Argh, you!

Chat terminated 0659 am


	15. Chapter 15

From: nwilde

To: jhopps

Subject: Surprises

Carrots,

I'm guessing that you haven't written because either you're still mad at me or you're busy on the case. I hope it's that last one because I'm really not mad at you. I just knew that there wouldn't be many times I can get you like that.

But I wanted to tell you about the last couple days, last night in particular. I went to talk to Wolferson and told her Bearester said we have to get along and so we should try spending half an hour talking every day, and if we really couldn't get along then we could tell her we'd tried. She didn't like that, but telling her it was Bearester's idea at least got her to agree.

I took your advice, Carrots. She didn't want to talk first, so I did. I know a bit about wolves, you know: big family mammals, pack first, all that. I don't have a pack, but I've lost my family—not Mom, of course, but all the friends I made along the way.

(I might have to reconsider my definition of 'friend.')

I told her about that, and I played things up a little. I said that losing all those friends made me glad I was making new ones here. And perhaps we didn't all need to be close friends, but it wouldn't hurt to, y'know, try.

She didn't say much that night, but the next day she came up to me. She confessed grumpily that she missed her pack (they actually say "pack," not "family"). None of them particularly wanted her to be a police officer either. That's surprising, right? I mean, there's a bunch of wolves in the ZPD; it's one of the things they _do_. Not like foxes or bunnies. But no, her pack comes from a town up north where they cut down trees and love the woods and just run around all the time, to hear her tell it. They don't like the city. Her mom was a police officer, but up there it means something different, like I guess what you called "peace wardens," right? Folks with a little bit of authority who settle arguments. Wolferson, though, she came to Zootopia with her family to sell lumber and she loved it and decided she was going to be a ZPD wolf. I guess her family tried to talk her out of it for years.

So see, you two have a lot in common. But the thing that happened last night is she said she's going to talk to Fangovin and try to get him to stop being such a jerk. I guess I was sympathetic enough. Truthfully? I feel bad for her, but she was still a jerk to me.

Let me know how your case is going when you get a chance.

Nick

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From: jhopps

To: nwilde

Subject: Re: Surprises

Dear Blueberries,

That's great! I knew you could do it if you really tried.

I'm not mad at you. I mean, I was, for like a minute, but then I remembered that you're my friend and I'd just done the same thing to you, and that's also kiiinda how we first met. So it's fine, but keep your guard up.

I haven't slept a whole lot the last few days and that's why I didn't write. During the day I'm running around with Paddington chasing tickets, which he thinks is just the most fun thing ever because we always get to catch someone. Almost always. And in the evenings I'm over at Happytown talking to the police and the sanitation department. Everything moves slowly, but I'm hopeful.

I reached out to Annie, too, to let her know what I'm doing. I didn't use your name, just told her I was part of a new task force to help clean up Happytown. I don't think she believed me, but that's okay. I wouldn't have believed me either.

Speaking of missing family, today my parents sent me a whole bunch of pictures from Carrot Days. I'm not going to say I cried, but it was hard. I've never missed one before. All my brothers and sisters got together and made a big sign that says "We Miss You Judy," and they held it up on MuzzleTime, and then Dad started crying when I told him I wasn't going make it, even though I told him like two weeks ago too. So it's been a stressful couple days. But things are going better.

Just a couple weeks to graduation for you now, right? I can't wait to get rid of Paddington.

Don't tell him I said that.

Love,

Judy

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From: nwilde

To: jhopps

Subject: Re: Surprises

Carrots, you'll be pleased to know that it's between me and Fangovin for the top spot in our class. We don't know how all the other classes are going to go but I think ours is the best. Fangovin's ahead on the physical stuff; I'm ahead on the paper questions. So Bearester says the next week's exams will be critical in who gets top of our class.

Wolferson is still suspicious of me (her nose wrinkles every time we talk and she still makes comments on how the place smells) but is opening up more and we're talking about being predators in a largely prey class. She says she and Fangovin bonded that way, sort of, but he was arrogant and condescending so she was already getting tired of him. I'm trying hard to be the opposite—un-arrogant, as a certain weasel we know might say.

I told her Fangovin dunked me in the ice water and she laughed and said it was funny. I very successfully restrained myself and managed a chuckle ("I guess it was a little funny") and Wolferson actually stopped laughing. She said she's used to jumping in water all the time and that she guessed for someone from Zootopia the water might be more disturbing (that was her word).

I'm excited to hear how you do with Happytown. I knew if anyone could do it, it'd be you. As for Paddington, don't worry, we'll figure something out.

Nick


	16. Chapter 16

From: jhopps

To: nwilde

Subject: NICK!

Dear Blueberries,

You won't believe it! I went out with the Happytown police last night on a volunteer garbage pickup, and Annie was out there on the street. She recognized me (I guess there's a benefit to being the only bunny cop) and started talking to me, and she ended up telling me that there's a jaguar—well, I won't write the name in an e-mail—anyway, this jaguar is the one who bought Goldmane's stolen property! I'm going to do this by the book, go in to Bogo's office on Monday morning and tell him I have a new lead and ask his permission to re-open the case.

But I think he'll do it. I mean, I have this name from a source who is, okay, I guess she's not really reputable. And I just have the name, no definitive proof.

He's not going to reopen the case, is he? I wouldn't, if I were him.

All right. I'll just have to think about this. If you can get a snotty wolf to be your friend, I can crack this case.

Love,

Judy

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.

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From: nwilde

To: jhopps

Subject: Re: NICK!

See, Carrots, I knew you could do it. And I'm sure you can convince Chief Buffalo Butt to give you another chance now that you have a lead. Let me know if I can help.

So I have to tell you about last night because it was really pretty amazing. I'd convinced Fangovin to go for a walk, mostly because I think he thought he was going to get to dunk me in the ice water again, but on our walk I heard something by the perimeter fence. You know the place across from the rainforest course where there's that big tree? I got Fangovin interested when I told him there was definitely someone climbing the fence to get in and both of us just went right for the fence, not even thinking about getting help. He still couldn't hear the noises until we got closer, so I directed him into position, and he tackled the guy.

Turns out it was Shaggy, sneaking back in from "communing with the moon" or something, but Fangovin was so excited all the way back, kept slapping me on the shoulders and talking about how we caught the guy, and even about how we made a good team, me with my ears and him with the tackling. He did say I should've smelled that it was Shaggy, and I said yeah, it was a shame we were upwind.

Of course, I made sure we were upwind of the place I told Shaggy to climb back in. Even so, I could still smell him, but I wanted to make sure Fangovin couldn't. The whole point was to show him we could work well together when we needed to, and that I was valuable to him. And Shaggy was a good sport about all of it—reminds me a bit of the yak at Mystic Springs, remember him? I owe him a few more study sessions with the manual for that.

But it worked, is the point, and Fangovin is strutting around the barracks right now telling the story, and he even includes me in part of it (basically "Wilde heard a noise and I tracked down the intruder, tackled him, and brought him back here," but hey, at least he's using my name, right?). And I think—if this sticks—that we might be buddies now.

It's really a lot of work making friends.

Nick

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From: jhopps

To: nwilde

Subject: Friends

Dear Blueberries,

Ha ha, I don't know what to say except…clever fox! I mean, bad fox, too, but…sometimes I guess people won't listen to anything but a hustle, _right_?

Along those lines, uh, I was trying to think of a way to get to this jaguar, and I realized that the solution was under my nose the whole time. Almost. I went through the unpaid parking tickets we're looking at and sure enough, there was one for the jaguar. Not a big coincidence when you think about it. I mean, someone who bends the law in one place probably ignores it in another.

So Paddington and I went out there, and we got him to open the door, and I spotted a carpet inside. With probable cause, we called in and got a warrant, but before we'd even gotten more than one room into the house, he confessed everything: how he helped Goldmane get rid of "stolen" carpets, that Goldmane was the one who came up with the idea, that he didn't even _like_ carpets.

With that confession, Chief Bogo said he'll re-open the case. We've got the jaguar in custody and a warrant out for Goldmane, and I think it's all gonna work out.

The only _problem_ is that Chief Bogo said he's impressed by how well me and Paddington worked together on this case…

Love,

Judy

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.

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From: nwilde

To: jhopps

Subject: Clever bunny!

Carrots, you did it! I knew you could. It's pretty handy that that jaguar had an unpaid parking ticket, huh? Definitely not that big a coincidence. Not the sort of thing anyone would question, anyway.

Nick

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From: jhopps

To: nwilde

Subject: Re: Clever bunny!

Dear Blueberries,

Hush.

Love,

Judy

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From: nwilde

To: jhopps

Subject: Re: Clever bunny!

*muzzle zipped*

About Paddington, look, you'll figure it out. Even if we can't be partners right away, at least we'll be working together. And if a fox and bunny can't figure out how to reassign a very nice bear, then we don't deserve to call ourselves clever. Besides, it sounds like he doesn't really _want_ to be your partner. (Idiot.)

Bearester called me into her office this morning and said she is going to want me to do the boxing again for the physical portion of our final exam, _but_ she also said that she's willing to grade me on whether I beat my opponent and avoid getting hit myself rather than on how hard I punch or whatever it was she was doing before. It was an interesting change in her philosophy. Almost like she'd been talked into giving a little guy a chance to win in his own style.

So I'm back to training for that. Just over a week to go and we'll be done here. I'm ready to be out, but a little worried too, to be honest. And…I'm gonna miss these guys.

Nick


	17. Chapter 17

From: jhopps

To: nwilde

Subject: Re: Clever bunny!

Dear Blueberries,

Almost as strange as Annie walking up to me on the street and deciding to trust me, isn't it?

Love,

Judy

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From: nwilde

To: jhopps

Subject: Re: Clever bunny!

Hey, I told you Annie would respond if you tried to help Happytown. She's got a big sense of civic pride. Bigger than her hate of police, I guess.

Okay, graduation is in a few days and I have another story for you. So last night we were all sitting around talking and exchanging phone numbers and Shaggy said, "Oh, you're already in my phone, Nick." So I made up something about how I put the number in there a couple days ago and didn't he remember? He's pretty good that way.

But it made me think about having to change his ringtone so it doesn't howl, and then I thought about Wolferson missing her family and the howling, and I asked her if she could teach us to howl. At first she was all like, no, no, it's a timber wolf thing, but a few of the others starting bothering her about it too and we all kind of wanted to, so finally she agreed to teach us, though she said she didn't think any of us would get it right.

(As you know, it's not that hard to howl.)

So we all did it and the rhinos kept cracking each other up, but we got a couple good long howls in, and then the on-duty bear came and called lights out, so we stopped. But Wolferson grabbed me and pulled me aside and she was wiping tears out of her eyes and she wanted to thank me for it. Said she felt connected to us and missed her family but it was finally feeling okay.

Well, gosh, Carrots, that was a humbling moment for your already-humble fox. I told her I was glad it had worked out and that I hoped she'd think of us as her new family, and she hugged me and said that she hoped we'd work together somewhere because she thought I really _got_ her. I told her that even if we didn't, we'd stay in touch and we'd have a family of officers at the ZPD to back us up.

So yeah. I think if I can just get through the boxing tomorrow, this class will have been a success.

Nick

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From: jhopps

To: nwilde

Subject: Howls

Dear Blueberries,

I'm not going to lie; I had a tear in my eye too reading about you howling with Wolferson. And it wasn't a tear of laughter. Though I _did_ do that later when I thought about you howling. And so did Chief Bogo.

Hey, I had to tell him something to put him in a good mood before I told him that Paddington wanted to stay on the unpaid parking ticket beat but that I wanted to be on a more active duty. Don't worry, I talked to Paddington about it, and you were right: he doesn't really want to be my partner. He'd never say anything about it because he's so nice, but I told him flat out that my best friend was graduating soon and that I really wanted to introduce him to the ZPD, and he got this big smile and patted my shoulder. Then after he helped me back up, he said he felt stupid for not remembering that you were coming to the force and asked how you were doing and of _course_ he wouldn't want to keep good friends apart. It's amazing what you can do when you're just honest with people sometimes.

Anyway, Bogo also said something about "maybe we'll pair you with a new recruit, since you've adapted so well," and he winked at me. I think he meant that to be subtle, but it was about as subtle as a winking buffalo, soooooooo anyway yeah, as long as you pass your boxing, I think we're all set.

I can't wait. I really can't. I'm kicking the legs of my table and my neighbors just yelled at me to stop and I yelled back, "NO."

Love,

Judy

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From: nwilde

To: jhopps

Subject: Re: Howls

That Paddington. _Such_ a nice guy. I got a congratulations e-mail from him just an hour ago.

You will be proud to hear that I have officially passed the boxing test. I didn't quite beat Fangovin; he's fast and he really only had to punch me once to knock me down, but I did get him in the jaw a couple times. The problem was, when I knocked _him_ down, he got right back up. Bearester judged that we each did well enough to occupy the other until our backup arrived (depending on which one of us was the criminal) and so she passed us both. And afterwards Fangovin draped a huge paw on my shoulder and told me I packed a good kick and I should fight more, and I told him that once my tail's bruises had healed from where he grabbed it, I was done fighting bigger animals because I was going to have a whole bunch of fellow officers who were much better at that.

I beat all the others, though, even Wolferson, though I think she went easy on me because of the howling (which we went out and did again last night and she started crying again, but not as much this time). And when we get the scores of the written test back tomorrow morning, I feel pretty sure I will be comfortably first in this class, hopefully first in all the classes. Bearester told us tonight that she's had two classes with unusual mammals who were excellent police and how proud she is of all the other officers who welcomed those mammals and opened the door for more diversity in the ZPD in the future.

Which is funny. I don't know how you feel about it, but I kind of like being _the_ fox cop, the one who made it where nobody else could. On the streets, well, that's where foxes live. You don't want to stand out or be noticed at all, because the foxes who get noticed get gone. So you end up not trying anything, not sticking your neck out, keeping your tail tight in, finding your little space and staying there. I was comfortable there, but something was always wrong about it. I was looking through my contacts on my phone just before writing this, thinking about all the people who turned away from me. I realized that it's not a judgment of me. It's self-preservation. It's the way they live on the streets. You can't be friends with a cop.

I can't go back now. But that's okay, because I have somewhere else I can go—somewhere else I want to go.

Thanks for that, Carrots.

Nick


	18. Chapter 18

From: jhopps

To: nwilde

Subject: Stars

Dear Blueberries,

I never really thought much about being _the_ bunny cop, but you know, you're right. I mean, I was so excited about coming to Zootopia and then I kept getting called "cute" for being a bunny and I focused all my energy on being better than people thought I could be. I was proud for myself, not for my species, if that makes sense. But I think it would be cool if there were more bunnies inspired to join the ZPD, and more foxes, and maybe a coyote or two. We could do a lot.

Speaking of that, sort of, I was thinking after your last message about what you said about the stars. In Bunnyburrow, you know, the stars were out every night. I took them for granted. I never realized that there are a lot of people who can't see them, like those coyotes and foxes and raccoons in Happytown. When I came here, I wanted to make the world a better place, and I thought that meant by getting criminals off the streets and helping victims of crimes. But I think it also means helping the people who aren't victims of anything except maybe being born in the wrong part of town, or being down on their luck. I don't know how I can do that at the ZPD, but I think maybe you can help me figure it out. Maybe you and I can convince Bogo to put us on Happytown cases, or maybe we just have to go there on our own after hours to do work. But like you said, a clever fox and bunny should be able to solve any problem, right?

Bearester called me to tell me you're graduating first, and what a good job you've done. I'm really proud of you, Nick. And you're going to love the graduation ceremony. If you can survive the speech. Have they told you who your speaker is? I got Mayor Lionheart, who was mostly interested in promoting his Mammal Inclusion Initiative, so it wasn't that great a speech. I hope yours is better.

Love,

Judy

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From: nwilde

To: jhopps

Subject: Clever fox

Yep, I got first. Darn that bear for stealing my thunder. And I don't know who our speaker is. They've mostly been working on making sure we know where to sit and when to stand and which side of the stage to walk up on and all that.

I'm not sure how I feel about going back to Happytown, but now that you've said it, I want to try. Let's see what we can do. Starting Monday.

Monday. I can't believe it.

You're coming to my graduation, right? I got one ticket for my mom but I have another I can give you if you need one.

Nick

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From: jhopps

To: nwilde

Subject: Re: Clever fox

Dear Nick,

Yes, I'll be at your graduation. I got a pretty good seat, too. So excited to see you in your uniform!

Love,

Judy

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From: nwilde

To: jhopps

Subject: Re: Clever fox

Good. Can't wait to see you.

Everyone else is asleep now, after Wolferson insisted on YET ANOTHER HOWL (what have I done?). I couldn't get to sleep, though. So I'm on the roof again looking at the stars and thinking about our graduation and having a real job after that for the first time in my life. It's scary. Looking up, I can see all the constellations I memorized, but there are so many more stars I don't know. There's a lot to discover. I'm glad I'll have a friend to discover it all with.

Thanks for being there for me. See you tomorrow.

Love,

Nick

 _[Hey guys! This ends the story. Thanks to everyone who favorited, followed, and reviewed it, and to anyone who's enjoyed it, really. I had a blast writing it and am so glad you all liked it too. If you liked it, please do tell your friends about it! I am trying to convince myself that this isn't going to lead into a longer story about Happytown (for which I'd have to abandon the e-mail format, of course), and we'll see how that goes (getting the BluRay will probably not help). Watch this account for further developments... and if I do start another project, I'll post the teaser as another chapter here so you guys will see it. :) ]_


	19. Postscript

If you've enjoyed "Stars," check out the continuing adventures of Judy and Nick in "Happytown," a (probably) novel about a case that leads them through Nick's childhood home.


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